Combined track-switch and block-signal.



No. 731,301. PATENTED JUNE 16, 1903.

- H. HOLLIS.

COMBINED .TRAGK.SWITOH AND BLOCK SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 15, 1902. no MODEL. k

' jl lrryffaizzls' A TTOHNEYS.

PATENTED JUNE 16,1903.

7 HOLLIS. COMBINED TRACK SWITCH AND BLOCK SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 15, 1902.

H0 MODEL.

THE mums PEYERS 0o PHOTO LITHO., WASHINGTON, u. c

UNITED STATES Patented June 16, 1903.

PATENT Demon.

I-IARRYlIOLLlS, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 731,301, dated June 16, 1903. Application filed August 15,1902. Serial No. 119,789. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY HOLLIS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of .Wilmington, in the county of Newcastle and State of Delaware, have invented a new and Improved Combined Track-Switch and Block- Signal, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to track-switch mechanism together with block-signals to be used in connection therewith.

My invention can be used in a great variety of relations, but is particularly serviceable upon street-car lines.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,

in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figurel is a diagram showing myinvention as applied to a railroad Y. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing my invention as applied to a railroad at a point where there are a plurality of Ys.

The service-rails of the main track are shown at l 2, and the rails of the branch track, which may be a siding or otherwise, are shown at 3 4. A movable tongue or frog 5 is pivotally connected at 6 with one of the rails for the purpose of directing trains onto the branch track. ,A rod 9 is pivotally con-1 nected at its ends l 11 to the tongue or frog and to the lever 12, which is pivoted at 13.

This lever is made of iron and serves as an armature for the magnets 26. Upon the lever 12 are mounted contacts 14 15, movable therewith. These contacts are free to engage the stationary contacts 16 17 whenever the lever is moved.

From the stationary contact 16 a wire 18 leads to a signal-lamp 19, preferably red, and

thence to the junction 20 of the feed-wire 21.

of any desired construction, are, by means of uses the switch 47.

wires 27 28, connected with the trolley, as hereinafter explained. These wires 27 28 form a junction at 29 and are thence connected with the ground at 30.

Located adjacent to the track and disposed upon opposite sides of the trolley-wire 33 are a plurality of contact-plates 31 32, insulated from each other, as shown at 34, and of course disposed upon opposite sides of the path of the moving trolley-stem 35, which is provided with the conductor 36. These contact-plates 31 32 are engaged by contacts 37 38,carried by the car and connected, by means of the conductors 39 40,with the switch-wires 41 42, the conductor36 being connected with the switch-wire 43. The junctions of the three conductors and the three switch-wires are shown at 44 45 46. Pivotally connected upon the ends of the switch-wire 43 are switches 47 48, the same being free to engage the contacts 49, 50, 51, and 52.

The operation of the device above described is as follows: When the car traveling toward the left in Fig. 1 approaches the Y, if the motorman desires to branch off to the rails 3 4 he moves the switch 48 for the purpose. Should his' car he turned around, he In other words, the switches 47 48 are duplicated in order that the apparatus may be operated from either end of the car. Suppose now that the switch 48 bemovedintothepositionindicated. Thecurrent from the trolley-wire 33 follows the conductor 36 to the junction 46, thence proceeds upon the wire 43 to switch 48, thence upon switch-wire 42 to junction 45, thence follows wire 40, contacts 38 and 32, wire 28, to magnet 26,which it energizes,thence proceeds through wire 28 and'ju'nction 29 to the ground at 30. The magnet 26 being energized, the lever or armature 12 is drawn into the position indicated, the contacts 15 and 17 are broughtinto engagemeut,and another circuit is formed, as

follows: from the wire 21, which is connected with a source of electrical supply, preferably the trolley-wire or a feed-wire, to the junction 20, thence through the colored lamp 23, thence through wire 22 andcontacts 1715 to the armature 12, which is of metal and serves as a ground. Suppose now that the.

switch 48 be shifted over to the contact 51. The circuits are as follows; trolley wire 33,

conductor 36, junction 46, switch-wire 43, switch 48, contact 51, junction 44, conductor 39, contacts 37 31, wire 27, magnet 25, junction 29, and ground 30. The magnet being thus energized, the contact 14 is brought into engagement with the contact 16. The. current. now flows from the wire 21, (preferably connected with the trolley-wire 33,) junction 20, colored lamp 19, wire 18, contacts 16 and 14, armature 12, to ground. This causes the red lamp 19 to glow. It will be observed, therefore, that the device not only indicates the relative position of the armature 12, and consequently of the tongue or frog 5, but also serv s to indicate whether the electrical and mechanical parts are in proper working order. The track-switch is not in either of its normal positions except when a blue or a red lamp is burningl When the track-switch is once placed in a given position, it remains in that position until moved by the electrical switch mechanism of anotlier car.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 2 admits of general use, but is particularly applicable for service in street-car systems in cities in which a single track is used. Upon such a system the cars passing in opposite directions frequently cause a loss of time at certain points from which the track is visible for only a short distancefor instance, because of buildings or other obstructions only a short portion of the track may be seen. It sometimes happens that the sidings which are provided for the purpose of enabling cars to pass each other are so located that one siding is not visible from another. In such cases it is clear that some form of block-signal or its equivalentcould be usedtoadvantage. With systems of the kind just mentioned a frequent practice is for a motorman upon arriving at the part of the track in question to stop his car, get off the same, and adjust or prepare a signal which can be seen from a distance. Where this is happening almost every moment in the day, it of course is quite annoying to the operatives and passengers of the car and consumes not only the time of the car in question, but of other cars, which are'compelled to wait because of the delay thereof. The object of that part of my system shown in Fig. 2 is to enable the motorman either to go ahead in case the track is safe or to immediately run his car into the siding in case the main track is occupied and that, too, without stopping his car for an instant.

The rails of the main track are indicated at 55 56, those of a side track at 57 58, and those of another side track at 59 60. The purpose of the invention as here applied is to warn a car approaching from any direction of the presence of another car at either of the Ys shown or at any point intermediate of the same. The magnets 61 62 63 64 are for the sole purpose of controlling certain lights, as hereinafter described. The magnets 61 62 are energized by the wires 65 66, which are.

connected with the stationary contacts 73 74, mounted adjacent to the trolley-wire and insulated from each other and from the trolley-wire. Similarly the magnets 63 64 are energized by the Wires 67 68, which are connected, respectively, to the fixed contactplates 75 76 or 75 76, which are mounted upon either side of the trolley-wire and insulated therefrom and from each other. The wires 65 66 form a junction at 69 somewhat similar to the junction 70. The ground connections are shown at 71 72. The trolley-stems are shown at 79, 80, and 80, being provided, respectively, with conductors 81, 82, and 82 in the usual manner.

Each car is provided with wires 83 84 85 86 or 85 86, which are connected with the respective contacts 83 84 85 86 or 85 86 for the purpose of conducting the current from the electric switches mounted upon the respective cars to the magnets above described. Each car is provided with three switchwires 87 88 89, 9O 91 92, or 90 91 92. The switch-wires 88 89 are provided with contacts 93 94 and the switch-wires 91 92 with contacts 97 96. Switches 97 97 are provided for the purpose of completing and breaking the circuit between the central switch-wires 87 90 90 and the other switch-wires disposed upon either side thereof.

Between the magnets 61 and 62 is located an armature 99. Similarly between the magnets 63 64 is another armature 100. The stationary contacts 101 and 102 are connected together by a wire 103, whereby a blue lamp 104 and a red lamp 105 are energized. Joined to the Wire 103 intermediate of the blue and red lamps is another wire 106, which forms a junction 107 with the ground-wire. The contacts 108 and 109 are insulated and are mounted upon opposite sides of the armature 99. These contacts are connected together by means of wires 110, 11-1, and 112, the wire 112 being connected by a wire 113 with the main feed-wire. The contacts 114 and 115 are likewise disposed upon opposite sides'of the armature 99 and are insulated from each other. The contact 114 is by means of the wire 116 connected with the contact 118 upon the lever 100. The contact 119 upon the opposite side of this leveris connected, by means of the wire 117, with the contact 115 of the armature 99. The stationarycontact 120 is connected with the stationary contact 121 by means of the wire 122, which energizes either the blue lamp 123 or the red lamp 124, according to the position of the armature 100. The stationary contact 125 is, by means of a wire 130, connected with both the wires 129 and 131. The stationary contact 126 is connected, by means of the wire 129, with the wire and wire 131, which latter wire energizes a lamp 127, used as a main electric alarm or block-signal proper. The lamp 128 serves a similar purpose. The stationary contact 128 is, by means of the wire 130, connected with the wire 132. This latter wire includes a the eastbound car 0 arrives first.

junction 70, and ground 72.

main signallamp 128. The contact 134 upon the armature 100 is, by means of the wire 133, connected with the wire 132. The wire 135, which is connected with both wires 132 and 133, forms a junction at 137 with Wires 136 and 139. The contact 138 upon the armature 100 is, by means of the wire 139, connected with wire 136 at the junction 137 and also connected at said junction with wire 135.

The sidings are preferably provided with fixed contacts 76, and this arrangement is shown upon the siding represented by rails 57 58 at the right in Fig. 2. If desired, however, the contacts 75 76 may be used upon the sidings, as indicated at the upper lefthand portion of said figure. In the figure mentioned are shown three carsA B C. The

car A is upon a siding and the cars 0 and D are upon the main track. Suppose that the main track runs east and west and that The motorman of this car, we will say, has just blocked, the track between the position of the car C and that of the car B. The result is that the car B, which is Westbound, upon arriving at the position indicated is confronted with a danger-signal. The motorman of car B, looking for some distance ahead, observes a white light 127. As thelights 127 and 128 are connected in series, the motorman knows not only that the track is blocked, but that the light 128,whichisinvisible to him,is burning. He also looks for one or the other of the local lamps104or105. Oneof theselampsisalways burning. If he sees the red lamp, he knows that the armature 99 is in the position indicated at the right in Fig. 2. If he sees the blue lamp 104, he knows that the armature is in its contrary position-that is, moved toward the bottom in Fig. 2. The track being blocked, as he sees by the lamp 127, he immediately runs his car into the siding 57 58 without stopping. Of course instead of entering the siding he could upon a proper occasion take any equivalent precautionary measure, such as displaying a flag or backing his car to a point of safety. The circuits traversed by the current when the track is blocked are indicated by the heavy lines and are as follows: feed-wire 113, wire 111, main or white signal-lamp 127, wire 129, contact 126, contact 115, wire 117, contact 119, contact 128, wire 130, main white lamp 128, The circuit lighting the locallamp 105 is as follows: feedwire 113, wire 112, contacts 108 and 101, wire 103, local red lamp 105, wire 106, to ground 71. The local circuit at the left hand in the drawings lighting the lamp 124, which, together with the main signal-lamp 128, can be seen by the motorman of car 0, is as follows: feedwire 113, wire 136, junction 137, wire 135, contacts 134 and 120, lamp 124, junction 70, and ground 72. It will be observed, therefore, that the motorman of each car is always in View of independent signals, which inform him not only of the blocking of the track,

but of the relative position of the armature 99 or 100,as the case may be. Suppose now that the car 0 is absent, and consequently that the main track is clear. The motorman of the car B upon arriving looks ahead, as

before, for the lights. Noting the absence of the white light, which would otherwise be made by lamp 127, he knows that the track is clear. He next notes the color of the local lamp which is burning. If it be red, he knows that the armature 99 is in the position indicated in Fig. 2. If it be blue, he knows that the armature 99 is in its contrary position. He need give himself no concern about the position of the armature 100, for the reason that he knows the armature 100 is always in the contrary relative position to that of the armature 99. Otherwise the main signal-lamp 127 would be burning. He desires to enter the block without stopping his car. Suppose he finds the blue lamp aglow. This means that in order to light the main lamps 127 and 128, which are connected serially, as before stated, he must move the armature into the position indicated at the rightin Fig. 2. The burning of the blue lamp of course presupposes that the armature isin its contrary position or toward the bottom in Fig. 2. The motorman then throws the switch upon the contact 94 for the purpose of shifting the armature 99, thereby lighting the main lamps. The circuit formed is as follows: trolley-wire 33, wire 81, wire 87, switch 95, wire 83, bracket 83, contact 73, wire 65, magnet 61, wire 65, to ground 71. This causes the magnet 61 to move the armature 99 into the desired position for lighting the main lamps. The circuit lighting these main lamps is a relay-circuit and is traced as above described. Suppose, however, that the motorman of car B upon arriving observes that the red lamp 105 is the only lamp burning. The absence of the white light of course tells him that the track is clear; but the fact that the visible lamp is red and not blue indicates that the armature 99 is in the position indicated in Fig. 2, whereas the armature is in the contrary position or toward the bottom in Fig. 2. This being the case and desiring, as before, to block the track, he shifts the switch 95 upon the contact 93 for the purpose of moving the armature 99 into the same relative position as the armature 100, thereby lighting the main signal-lamps, as before, but through a different circuit, which is as follows: trolley-wire 33, wire 81, switch-wire 87, switch 95, contact 93, switch-wire 89, wire 84, bracket 84, contacts 74, wire 66, magnet 62, to ground 71. This moves the armature 99 into the same relative position as that which would be occupied by the armature 100 in order that the red lamp should have been visible, as stated, by the motorman of car 13. Supposing, therefore, that the armatures 99 and 100 both occupy positions contrary to are as follows: feed-wire 113, wire 111, main those shown in Fig. 2, the lighting-circuits signal-lamp 127, wire 130, contacts 109 and 114, wire 116, contacts 118 and 127, wire 132, main signal-lamp 128, to ground 72. This circuit lights the main lamps and blocks the track. The local circuits are as follows: feed-wire 113, wire 111, wire 110, contacts 109 and 102, wire 103,.blue lamp 104, and wire 106, to ground 71, also feed-wire 113, wire 136, contacts 138 and 121, wire 122, blue lamp 123, to ground 72. It follows, therefore, that when the armatures 99 and 100 are both shifted to their positions contrary to the positions indicated in Fig. 2 not' only are the main signal lamps lighted, but the local lamps displayed are blue and not red. Suppose now that a car which has been blocking the track takes its departure. The motorman notices again the color of the local lamp adjacent to the point of exit, no matter whether his car be moving toward the left or the right,in Fig. 2. The color of the locallamp indicates to him again the position of the armature 99 or 100, and thereby discloses to him the proper direction in which he should move his switch 95 or 97 in order to extinguish the main signal-lamps 127 and 128. He places his switch 95 or 97 in the proper position and then simply goes ahead. When his car reaches such a point as to complete a circuit through the contacts 73 and 7 L or 75 and 76, as the case may be, the armature 99 or 100 is moved in such a direction as to break the circuit between the main signallamps 127 and 128K The motorman of any other car can then determine from the color otthe local lamp the position of the armature. It from any cause there should happen to be two cars upon the blocked section at the same time and one of them should take its departure, the main signal-lamps are of course extinguished, whereupon the motorman of the other car remaining on the danger-section immediately relights them in order to block the track for the protection of his car. For instance, the motorman of car A, who might occupy the siding shown at the upper left-hand corner in Fig. 2 would of course move his car down upon the main track the instant that any other car block.- ing the track made its departure. This motorman should immediately block the track for the protection of his own car by moving hisswitch 97, thereby completing a circuit through contacts 75 and 76 and through one or the other of the magnets 63 64.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A block-signal comprisinga pluralityof magnetic members, means controllable at will for energizing the same independently from separate movable cars, said magnetic members being provided with movable armatures, a plurality of contacts to be opened and closed by movements of said armatures, local electric signals connected with divers of said contacts, and main electric signals connected with others of said contacts, said main electric signals being disposed at the respective ends of the block and connected serially together.

2. A block signal comprising magnetic members disposed adjacent to a railway-track and provided with movable armatures, contacts actuated by said armatures and free to operate in connection therewith as a relay, local electric signals connected with divers of said contacts for the purpose of indicating the operative condition of said armatures and electrical mechanism connected therewith, means for supplying an electric current to said local signals and main electric signals connected with others of said contacts for the purpose of warning approaching cars, said main electric alarm being located at both ends of a block and connected serially together, and means controllable at will from a moving car for directing an electric current on and off said magnetic members.

3. A block-signal, comprising magnetic members, one at each end of a block, and having movable armatures provided with contacts, means, controllable at will, for energizing said magnetic members one at a time from a movable car, a local .electric lamp disposed at each end of the block and connected with one of said contacts, and a main electric lamp disposed at each end of said block and connected with others of said contacts, and also connected serially with the other main lamp at the opposite end of the block.

4:. A block signal, comprising magnetic members disposed one at each end of a block and provided with armatures, each armature being free to occupy two definite positions, two local signals disposed at each end of said block and being distinguishable each from the other for indicating the position of said armature, two separate contacts connected with each armature for energizing said local signals independently, other contacts connected with each armature, and main electric signals connected with said last-mentioned contacts and with each other, said main signals being disposed at opposite ends of said block.

5. A block-signal, comprising main electric ,signals disposed at different points along a track and connected serially together,'a magnetic member disposed adjacent to each of said main signals and provided with an armature capable of occupying two definite positions, contacts connected with said armature and with said main signals, said contacts being free to energize said main signals when a plurality of said armatures are simultaneously disposed in either of said definite positions, a plurality of signals located adjacent to each magnetic member and distinguishable each from the other for indicating the position of the armature thereof, contacts connected with said armatu res for energizing said local signals, and electrical connections IIO between saidlast-mentioned contacts and said local signals for energizing the same.

b. A block signal, comprising magnetic members, disposed at each end of a block and armatures, each armature be ing free to occupy two definite positions, means, controllable at will, for energizing said magnetic members from a moving car, two local signals disposed at each end of said block, and being distinguishable each from the other for indicating the position of said armature, two separate contacts connected with each armature for energizing said local signals independently, other contacts connected with each armature, and main electric signals connected with said last-mentioned contacts and with each other, said main signals being disposed at opposite ends of said block.

7. A block-signal, comprising main electric signals disposed at different points along the track and connected serially together, a magnetic member disposed adjacent to each of said main signals and provided with an armature capable of occupying two definite positions, means controllable at will, for energizing said magnetic member from a moving car, contacts connected with said armature and with said main signals, said contacts being free to energize said main signals when a plurality of said armatures are simultaneously disposed in either of said definite positions, a plurality of local signals located adjacent to each magnetic member and distinguishable one from the other for indicating the position of the armature thereof, contacts connected with said armatures, and electrical connections between said local signals and said last-mentioned contacts for the same.

8. A block signal, comprising magnetic members disposed one at each end of a block,

arm atnres disposed adjacent to said magnetic members and movable thereby, aplurality of contacts for each of said armatures, main signals disposed at different points along the track and connected serially together and also connected with divers of said contacts, a plurality of local signals disposed at each end of said block and distinguishable one from the other, said local signals being connected with others of said contacts, and means for intermittently energizing said magnetic members.

9. A block signal, comprising magnetic members disposed one at each end of a block, armatures disposed adjacent to said magnetic members and movable thereby, a plurality of contacts for each of said armatures, main signals disposed at different points along the track and connected serially togetherand also connected with divers of said contacts, a plurality of local signals disposed at each end of said block and distinguishable each .from the other, said signals being connected with others of said contacts, means for intermittently energizing said magnetic members, and mech- 'anism, controllable at will from a moving car,

for energizing said magnetic members.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY HOLLIS.

Witnesses:

CHARLES GREEN, FRANCIS S. BRADLEY.

energizing 

